Setup Progress #3 Transition to Development with 64 bits

 

 

 

I have made good progress in the last few days.  The Brick Buddy Module is actually more responsive than before the pause.  I am quite happy with the BT performance and the USB HID connection.  The Android App connects crisply as does the the USB HID connection to the PC.  So it all looks good now.  

While looking at the changes needed for 10 LEDs and the motor performance I would like to do, it has become apparent that the BT interface is going to have to change to 64 bits.  When the first Brick Buddy was developed, that was a PIC18F 8 bit processor.  Forcing it to do 64 bit manipulation did not make sense.  The RN4020 BT module will transfer up to 20 bytes with each characteristic read/write, so this was not the limiting factor.  With a PIC32, manipulating 64 bit values, is not stressing the processor.  While PIC32MX is a native 32 bit process, it does a nice job of handling the simple integer operations I will be doing.

I started modifying the Android App and the PIC32 code to use both 32 and 64 bit transmissions.  I have the 64bit working, having to solve the little/big endian issues between the PIC32 and the Android implementation.  Once that was solved, it became very easy to parse the command payloads.  Once I settle on the new command payloads, the documentation will have to be updated.  

The only issue I have come across is that once you start 64 bit transmission from the Android App, it seems to always send 64 bits, with the upper 32 bits zeroed out.  This is probably some issue on how I am decoding whether the transmission is 32 or 64 bits.  That will be the next thing I need to solve.

Once the 64 bit conversion is finished, the setup process will be complete and I will move on to pure development of the Brick Buddy 2.

Setup Progress #2

 

 

I setup the system and connected both the Bluetooth and the PC and let it run over night.  This morning it was still connected and running.  I have a stable platform.  My final step is to cleanup a few more items that were left over from last fall.  There are several debug statements that are in callbacks and thus disrupting the normal flow of debug messages.  These need to be stored and then the print function moved to the main loop.  This will clean up the debug message stream and make it more usable.  There are a couple of other changes needed in the UART response loop from the RN4020.  Once this is done, I can start implementing/verifying features.

Setup Progress #1

There is progress.  As explained in the last blog post, the Brick Buddy did start.  Since then, I manged to compile the PIC32 firmware and achieve some success.  After a few days of working on the PIC32 firmware and learning it again.  (Almost forgot how to code in C).  I discovered that the PIC32 was just too fast for the RN4040 BT Module.  This had always been unreliable since I started working on the BT portion.  Some times it would work and sometimes it would not.  In the PIC18 based Brick Buddy I, this was not a problem.  A small delay and it worked flawlessly.  Also there was limited code space/free RAM in the PIC18 design and examining the BT Module response would have consumed valuable memory.

I restructured the code to wait for the RN4020 response.  I am not examining the response in all cases yet, but that is the plan.  There needs to be a path in the initialization state machine for the every response to be verified before proceeding to the next.  If it continues to fail, then a message needs to be sent out the USB port for the user.

In the process of doing this, I also slightly restructured the USB initialization.  I am undecided if I am keeping this.  Right now the BT Module is completely initialized before the USB module.  There might be some advantage the other way around for messaging to the user.  Right now I use a serial console port for this.  It wont be exposed in the final product.

I was able to connect via Android to the Brick Buddy, though the new controls are not implemented yet.  That is the next thing that needs to happen.  I also need to come up with a user interface for 10 LEDs.

I had my second COVID shot yesterday and as the day wore on, I could tell I was beginning to feel the effects.  I will close this entry out now and continue the update tomorrow.

Setup Progress is Slow

I have spent the last several days setting up the development environment.  This has proven more difficult than I had originally thought.  I use two to three laptops.  One for the PC software and PIC firmware development, one for debugging (sometimes two when doing simultaneous debugging of PC and PIC) and one to just run the PC software.  

Two of these have been shutdown for 6 months.  One started right away, but the other insisted on a major Windows update.  Then it would not start again.  After much struggling and research, it finally completed the update and started.  

Since my last Android update, Google has changed Play Store requirements to all apps must be 64 bit.  This required a compiler update to the RAD Studio software I use (for both Android and PC).  Then one of the components on the PC side I use (power monitor instrument display) has issues with the latest version of the compiler.  I have been waiting for this to get resolved, but has not yet.  Additionally some other third party components need to be updated.  

The Brick Buddy 2 started and connected to the PC, however it does not seem to connect via Bluetooth.  Next steps is to verify what functionality still works and what does not.  Then I can develop a new plan to move forward.

Hand Gestures and Brick Building

I have been helping out a friend with an sculpture project.  We met many years ago when I managed a electrical/mechanical group and he managed the software group.  In his retirement he has taken up merging sculptures with electronics.  

One of the items he is implementing is hand gestures that then cause the sculpture to react in some manner.  While I am familiar with gesturing in the context of an Android mobile device, I have not looked into this area at all, until now.  As is the case with me, this exposure started me thinking about how I could implement this.  Unfortunately these "idea storms" come upon me when I am trying to sleep.  This results in a conflict, one part of me is trying to process the flood of ideas while another part is trying to shut it all down so I can sleep.  Sense I am writing this, it is easy to see which part won.

My first thoughts were how to implement this in the train layout.  It would be great if I could swipe my hand over a switch and the switch change direction.  Or the same with a signal and the signal toggle state.  The ultimate would be to make a gesture over an engine, which would cause the engine to perform some operation.  This could also be applied to the lighting in the layout, setting up a track sequence (switches and signals) or an automated scenery display.

Once I had exhausted that line of thinking, I started thinking about how I could control a large Brick display (like my Planetary Space Base build).  Start and stop action, change the lighting conditions, reveal parts that are hidden, start,select,stop the music or any number of other ideas.   

The design my friend is using is a Sparkfun ADSP-9660.  This uses an I2C interface to setup and communicate the gesture information.  The Brick Buddy II has I2C interfaces.  At the present time, they are not exposed to the user.  This is probably something that is going to have to change.  The major issue will be finding space for the connector and what type of connector to use.  

I2C requires 2 lines and a ground connection.  The ADSP-9660 requires a power source for the IC itself and another for the embedded IR LED that is the light source it uses.  This IR LED can require 12mA to 300mA, depending on the implementation conditions, e.g. distance to the human body and the amount of material the IR signal must pass through (plastic or glass).  The connector could be a 2 pin and the ground is acquired through the power source for the ADSP-9660.  Best practice would be to include a signal ground with the I2C signals, though.

Well for now it is just an idea, but I will be talking more with my friend who inspired the sleepless night.  Up til now I have been providing advice on PCB layout and how to supply power to all of the electronics in the sculpture.  Going forward I will be asking a lot more questions on actual implementation and how much success he has had with this concept of using hand gestures to control the sculpture. 

Development Roadmap

There are several items I would like to get done before the end of the year.  My list is probably overly ambitious considering everything, but without goals, I find it hard to stay focused.  There is no particular order here, though Brick Buddy II is probably the highest priority.

 

Brick Buddy II 

 

I very much want this to be done and ready for use.  This has been sidetracked by the move, the virus and various other things.  But now all of that is mostly behind us, so we can move on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planetary Space Base Expansion

 

 

 

 

 

I have some great ideas on how to make this better and bigger.  Most of it depends on Brick Buddy II.

 

Train Tools

There are two items here.  One I have lots of small displays I acquired years ago.  I want to turn these into billboards for HO train layouts.  They can be loaded with changing displays or a static display.  Also  I have an idea for a battery operated track cleaner.  It would use track power unless the track is too dirty, then it would run on a rechargeable battery. It would also provide real time information back about the track voltage so you could find dead spots via a Bluetooth link and a mobile app.

 

So we will see if all of this can be done and just how long it will take.

 

Product Review

Our products are broken down into a few different categories.  These are

• Electronic Building Power Modules
• Electronic Building Tools
• Brick Building Tools
• Model Train Tools 
• Soft Wear

The first three are described below,  The Model Train Tools are still under development.  The Soft Wear consists of themed shirts, pillow cases and quilts we do for shows or special order.  Contact us if you are interested.

Electronic Building Power Modules

These modules all accept a standard USB connection via a USB Mini connector and then generate different voltages to power up your electronic projects.  They are designed to plug into standard bread board with 100 mil spacing.  The modules can deliver a total of about 7W.  More information is available on the web site, here.

Our basic USB powered power system.  The module accepts a standard USB connection and produces the following voltages:

• Pass through VUSB
• 3.3VDC
• 2.5VDC
• 1.8VDC

 

 

 

Our regulated USB powered power system.  The module accepts a standard USB connection and produces the following regulated voltages:

• 5.0VDC
  
• 3.3VDC
• 2.5VDC
• 1.8VDC

 

 

Our higher voltage USB powered power system.  The module accepts a standard USB connection and produces the following voltages:

• 12VDC
  
• 5.0VDC
• 3.3VDC

 

 

 

 Electronic Building Tools

Our voltage and current monitor.  Monitors up to 4 channels.  Comes with PC Windows and Android software, that allows you to monitor and record.  Also contains internal memory storage to collect for hours or up to days (depending on the collection rate) and then download.  Designed to be placed in line with one of our power modules above.  There are two versions, USB only and USB/Bluetooth for mobile applications. 

More information is available on the web site, here.

Our Temperature sensor.  The unit is Bluetooth enabled for mobile monitoring and comes with internal memory storage to collect hours or up to days depending on collection rate and power source and then download.

More information is available on the web site, here.

Brick Building Tools

A modified version of our USB powered power modules.  This provides 9V to power Brick motors, typically Power Functions motors.  It will also supply 5VDC and 3.3VDC that can be used to power smaller motors and electronics.  Comes with an adapter for the Motor Extension cables.

More information is available on the web site, here.

Our Brick Controller.  Use this to power up your MOC and have it control the motors and the lights.  Has a USB and Bluetooth interface and enough internal storage for about 60 instructions.  Will control up to four independent motors and 4 LEDs.  Comes with two adapters for the Motor Extension cables.

More information is available on the web site, here.